Repairman Is Seriously Injured

An elevator repairman was seriously injured Tuesday when a lift he was working on slipped and plunged three stories at the Delray Beach mansion of race car driver Jeff Gordon.

The man was inside the three-story lift just before noon when it fell, breaking his arm and compressing his spine, according to the Delray Beach Fire Department. The worker, identified as Patrick Doyle, 37, of Palm Beach Lifts Inc., was rushed to Delray Medical Center. He was in serious condition Tuesday evening.

Rescue workers arrived on the accident scene at the mansion, located at 2445 S. Ocean Blvd., just after noon, said Division Chief Russell Accardi.

"He was very lucky, even though these are pretty bad injuries," said Accardi.

"He and another worker had been under the lift on the third level. Then he climbed inside. That's when it fell."

The lift, located at the rear of the mansion, had not been completely installed at the time of the accident, Accardi said.

The drop compressed the injured man's spine, possibly causing paralysis, Accardi said. The hospital was running tests to determine how serious the injuries are to Doyle's spine.